CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide.
CAUTION: To guard against electrical shock, always unplug your computer from the electrical outlet before removing the cover.
NOTICE: Follow the instructions provided in this section while connecting and disconnecting cables inside your computer. Incorrectly connected cables can cause damage to the equipment.
NOTICE: Do not route cables over or behind devices. Cables routed incorrectly can prevent the computer cover from closing properly or cause damage to the equipment.
This section provides information about connecting and disconnecting the following cables from the system board:
Power cables
Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) and floppy-drive cables
Serial-ATA (SATA) cables
Front I/O cables
Power Cables
Your computer has two types of power cables:
Power cables with a release latch
Power cables without a release latch
Power Cables With a Release Latch
The following power connectors on your computer have release latches:
To disconnect a power cable with a release latch, press the release latch on the power connector and then pull the cable up and away from the system board.
1
release latch
2
tab
3
system board power connector
4
power connector
To connect the power cable to the system board, align the release latch on the power connector with the tab on the system board connector; then push the connector downwards until it is firmly clicks into place.
Power Cables Without a Release Latch
The following power cables in your system do not have a release latch:
To disconnect the power cable without a release latch, hold the cable by the connector and pull it away from the system board or device.
1
power cable without a release latch
2
power connector on the system board or drive
3
beveled edge of the power connector on the system board or drive
4
beveled edge on the power cable
To connect a power cable without a release latch, align the beveled edge on the power cable with beveled edge of the power connector on the drive or system board; then press firmly into the connector.
IDE and Floppy-Drive Cables
NOTE: Using one IDE or floppy-drive cable, you can connect a maximum of two devices to each connector on the system board.
NOTE: Floppy-drive cables and connectors are similar to IDE cables and connectors. However, the number of pins on the connectors vary. You cannot interchange the cables or connectors.
To disconnect an IDE cable, hold the cable by the connector at each end and gently pull the IDE cable from the connector on the system board or IDE drive.
The connector on an IDE cable is keyed in the center with a raised piece of plastic called the cable key. To connect an IDE cable, align the cable key with connector on the system board or drive; then push the connector until it is fully inserted.
1
IDE ribbon cable
2
cable key
3
IDE connector on the system board/drive
SATA Cables
NOTE: Using a SATA cable, you can connect only one SATA device to the SATA connector on the system board.
To connect a SATA cable, hold the cable by the connector at each end and press firmly into the connector. To disconnect a SATA cable, hold the cable by the connector at each end and pull until the connector detaches.
1
SATA connector
2
SATA connector on the system board
3
SATA connector hard drive
Front I/O Panel Cables
NOTE: Most of the front I/O panel, fan, and light cables have similar connectors. The number of pins and the location of the cable key or missing pin may vary.
1
connector on the system board
2
missing pin
3
cable key
To disconnect the front I/O panel cable, hold the cable by the connector and then pull it away from the system board.
NOTICE: You must align the cable key with the missing pin correctly. Incorrect alignment can cause damage to the equipment.
When connecting the front I/O panel cable, hold the cable by the connector and align the cable key with the missing pin on the system board connector; then press firmly into the connector.
